A gas turbine engine typically includes a fan section, a compressor section, a combustor section and a turbine section. Air entering the compressor section is compressed and delivered into the combustion section where it is mixed with fuel and ignited to generate a high-speed exhaust gas flow. The high-speed exhaust gas flow expands through the turbine section to drive the compressor and the fan section.
A combustor generally includes spaced inner and outer liners that define an annular combustion chamber. Arrays of circumferentially distributed combustion air holes penetrate multiple axial locations along each liner to radially admit pressurized air into the combustion chamber. Gas turbine combustors are required to meet aggressive emission requirements. Combustor designs and configurations to lower emissions require a high level of fuel/air mixing to improve combustion and operate at increased combustion temperatures. High combustor temperatures result in shorter auto-ignition times that require fuel/air mixing to occur in a short time.